The perspectives of undergraduate medical students on effective feedback: A cross-sectional study

Effective feedback is crucial in medical education as it assists in the evaluation of student's performance and bridges the gap between observed and intended performance. Objective of this study was to evaluate medical students' perspectives on effective feedback at the College of Medicine at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University in Saudi Arabia and identify the factors that affect the successful delivery of feedback.

This cross-sectional study included all the medical students. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire which measured students' perceptions using a 5-point Likert scale. The study focused on four domains: feedback practice, influencing factors, instructor skills, and student preparation. Students were invited to participate by filling a Google-Forms-based online questionnaire accessible using a QR code shared by the researchers. Data were classified, tabulated, and analyzed using SPPS version 26.

Out of 1216, 510 students filled the questionnaire yielding a response rate of 41%. The majority (57.8%) perceived the feedback delivered negatively with an overall mean score of 29.7/60 (57.8%), a minority (1.6%) perceived it positively, and the remainder (40.6%) had a neutral perception. Based on domains, the students' preparation for feedback was the highest, whereas feedback practice was rated as the lowest. Further, the perception decreased as the academic year progressed, with students in the pre-clinical years having a more favorable perception than students in the clinical years.

Although the overall mean score for receiving effective feedback was negative, students' readiness to receive it showed a high mean score. This should prompt educators to employ more specific and timely feedback techniques. The study findings also show that students in preclinical years tend to have a more positive view of feedbacks though this perception declines in the clinical years. These findings could be critical in adapting feedback approaches to meet the specific needs of clinical students.